The present invention generally relates to modular structural framing systems, and particularly to attachment panels, clamps, and interconnect apparatus therefor.
The craft of building structures is well known. Typical wood framing utilizing 2 inch by 4 inch (5 cm by 10 cm) studs has been used for construction for many years, with metal studs being used more recently. Further, steel, aluminum, wood, plastic, and other materials have been used for fabricating tubing, channel, "T" or "I" beams, and like structural members. Typically, studs and other structural members are joined together with nails, barbed plates, bolts, rivets, and the like. Other structures utilized columns and beams connected by other methods of fastening including rope lashing, special notch cutting, mitering and nesting techniques, and the like to obtain strong and simple connections to build a variety of structures. As time progressed, building materials such as stone, wood, steel, and more recently composites have become standardized in size, weight, and strength. The introduction of truss or space frames allowed building materials to have reduced structural mass and increased span resulting in higher strength to weight ratios. However, most construction practice used in fastening building structural components of a structure together still rely upon common devices such as nails, rivets, bolts, and like fasteners. Also, building materials are generally of a solid mass or unitized truss member requiring the maximum space for storage or transport. Further, quick connect/disconnect fastening mechanisms for structural members so that they can be rapidly assembled and disassembled without compromising structural strength are known such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,776,721. However, such fastening mechanisms utilized clamping mechanisms extending around the periphery of portions of the structural members thus restricting the configuration thereof and/or location of the attachment of one structural member to another, i.e. an in-line end tube connection will not attach to the side wall of another tube, etc., and often would not allow communication through the fastening mechanism. Also, prior quick connect/disconnect fastening mechanisms may only join together respective male/female structural members by a change in orientation and by radial translation and/or displacement of one or more members to interfit the male/female interface.
Thus, a need exists for modular structural framing systems including components which overcome the disadvantages of prior fastening mechanisms.